Golf puppet ball projector



June 27, 1950 MUNRQ 2,513,198

GOLF PUPPET BALL PROJECTOR Filed Feb. 11, 1949 Patented June 27, 1950UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GOLF PUPPET BALL PROJECTOR James H. Munro,Hermosa Beach, Calif. Application February 11, 1949, Serial No. 75,801

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to toys, and more particularly to a toy in theform of a mechanical puppet golf player by means of which playing a gameof golf may be simulated as, for example, indoors; On a putting green,or other prepared outdoor area.

While there has been proposed hitherto mechanical miniature golf playershaving some of the characteristics of this invention, these priordevices have been subject to definite limitations and imperfectionswhich have prevented the same from obtaining any wide popularity. In themechanical puppet golf player of this invention, means are provided forbringing about a substantially correct backswing stroke andfollowthrough of the club under the control of the player. Further,means are provided by which the force of the stroke is completely underthe control of the player and, in addition, means are provided in themechanical puppet golf player for the interchange of clubs being used bythe player so that every stroke in a normal game of golf may besimulated with the proper clubs. Accordingly, in using the device ofthis invention, if desired, the players may lay out a course withobstacles, sand traps, greens and the like as, for example, upon theliving room rug or on a putting green or other suitable outdoor area andplay the game to completion.

It therefore, one object of this invention to provide a mechanicalpuppet golf player in which the stroke of the club is essentiallysimilar to the theoretically correct stroke.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a device in whichthe force. of the stroke is under the full control of the player.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a deviceproviding for interchangeable golf clubs.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the attached specification in which Figure 1 is a frontview of the device.

Figure 2 is a side view of the device.

Figure 3 is an enlargedfragmentary' section along the line 33 of Figure1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentaryv section taken on the line 4-4 of,Fi ure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the device of thisinvention is shown as includin a tubular rod l having a grip ll upon theupper end thereof. The rod I0 is slotted as at [2 and a mandrel I3 ispositioned within the tube Ill and carries a pin l4 having a handle 15,which pin l4 operates in t e 5101; I2 as clearly shown in Figure 4.Adjacent the upper end of I the tube l0 there is provided a pin 16carrying a wheel or pulley I1 and a wire or cable I8 is reeved upon thepulley I1. One end of the cable I8 is aflixed to the mandrel by a screwas at 20 and the other is similarly aflixed as at 21. The mandrel l3 hasa bore 22 therein for the reception of one strand of the cable l8.

The tube I0 at its lower end encloses a tubular extension 23 of the bodymember and is releasably attached thereto by a screw 24 and I prefer tomount a pair of guide rollers (one only of which is shown numbered 25)at the lower end of the tube for guiding the cables. The golf playerproper is indicated generally by the numeral 30 and is in the form ofthe figure of a man having a pair of legs 3| and 32, a hip portion 33,and atorso portion 34. The hip portion 33 is provided with a circularseat 35 in which is positioned a cylindrical member 36.. The cylindricalmember 36 is grooved as at 31 to receive the cable 18. The hip .portion33 is bored as at 38 to receive a bushing 39 for a rod 40. The hipportion 33 is counterbored as at 41 to receive a screw 42 adapted tothread into the end of the rod 40 as shown. The torso portion 34 isbored-as at 34A and a screw 43 is provided in a reduced, portion of thebore adapted to threadedly receive the head portion 44. The bore 34A isenlarged and tapped as at 45 to receive a hollow stud 46 which is keyedor otherwise attached to the rod 40. A pair of studs 41 and 48 areprovided in bores 49 and 53 in the cylindricalportion 33 and screwedinto threads tapped in the torso portion 34 as shown, thus similarlyuniting the cylindrical portion 36 to the torso portion 34.

Mounted uponthe rod 40 is a wheel or sheave 5| and'a' cable or wire 52is reeved thereon. The cylindrical portion'36 is provided with arelieved portion53 to accommodate the sheave 5| and the cable, 52. v wThe torso portion 341s provided with a pair of: arms Bllgandfil,preferably formed integrally therewith. Each of the arms and 6| on theinner side thereof is provided with an open slot- 62. 1 Each open slot62 is adapted toreceive one lineiofthe'pable 52;. The arms 60 and GI convergeyasat;6 3in,the shape of hands 64. 4pm 65 is provided at theextremities of the arms and a club-carrying member 66 is pivotedthereon. The member 66 is provided with an enlarged head 61 bored as at68 to receive the club 69 and retain the same therein with a set screw10. The other end of the member 66 is cured as at H and bored as at 12to form the channels of a sheave and the cable 52 is reevedtherethrough.

It is contemplated that with the device as above described, there willbe provided a plurality 5 of golf clubs 69 each having a separate pitchso that, in effect, a full set of golf clubs will be available to theplayers. A ball 80 which may be a small piece -of 'balsawood or hardrubber or the like is also utiliz'ed.

The operation of the device is as follows: The device is taken by theplayer by the handle I I'- and placed on its feet adjacent the ball 80in a proper position to address the ball. 'The'-operat=--- ing handle I5is held in one hand and the nain. handle ll in the other. By sliding pinl4 back and forth in the slot IS the cable "l-B can bmakle toreciprocate, thus turning the cylinder DQl'tion 36. With the cylinderportion 36 there 'will tiirn the torso 34, the head 44 andthe arms filland 6 l The" turning lofth'e cylinder portion 3 6' will also "cause"the, tui' 'niiig"'oftherod' ifl and; cohequentl'y; "oftlie: sheavefi lwhich is keyedbrotherwise aflixedthereto. 'llie'turfiing'ofthe'sheave'fil in turnope'ratesJtlibabl' SZandthegripping'pr wristmember '66. The "relationship between the sheave'15l and'tl'i'e'sheavelike 'portionbf tlifmember 66'is such'that their operative'diameters are in a ratio of approximately '2"to ."1, thus'assu'ringthat while the .torsdniember 34 i otate's through out asman are, tiiswrstfmemuer lifi will' rotate throughout a largenarc. Fromtliisdescription it will'be'apparent thaton operationpf the operating handlel5"the' uppe -stay; shdtildeisand' arms of the 'player' rotatej"foreXaInpleinthe back swing, through"a' minor"arc'while thec1uh is' rotatedthrough a "larger arc",' thus simulating" a full backswing; whilethe"tirig-"is such'that when the arms,torsoaridh ea re directly for ward sois' the 'wris'tmember 66? thus" assuring the proper alinemejnto fthebodyonjth'e address mg of the ban. sirmiarmtnthe rdub'wthrou-gh'; thetorso," arms Jandhe'adof'the' playenwill travel througl'f'a lesser "arcthan the-"wristmembers-6:3

In making ashot the-player mayjaddress the ball asshown in Fi'g'ures"'1and 2, swingthe club through Y a small are a f ew times by means*of'thehandle I 5 to make' sure' thatthe deviceis'; oper'-' atingfreely'and thifstrolie the-ball applyi'ng as much" force asjis desiredby ine'ar'is of-" tl'ie opr at'i'nghandle Hi1- It has been found'thatwith a dviceof this invention all sorts of'shot 'mayb madel Givena'loft'ed club, such as iscomparable to asiir-ironj onecan' pitch; orgiven an ur'ildft'ed blulifsuclff'as a puttr'i one can'-siiripl' piitt'or 'roll theball,- Thus, one can play over obsticlestarid eifiiiti allyin d-whatev'errece15tstie-is prttiaed rdntfieaisl 90 with 'a cliiba-idri frbfitfier on pl a ythe cam fires-enact" stacles and on all sortsof lies, with all' of tll necessary-shots to eviitfially hble out th'eball merely by erratic-me ember-by reisa ing tii' set screw" 10.* v IWhilethere-has*'blfidescribed wliat is et presenters-underw apreferredembodiment of the-invention, it w'illbeobserved by tlios'eskilled in the art thatvsfidus' chanes andfiaiteraticns can be madewithout departing from the essence of the invention and it is intendedto cover herein all such changes and modifications as come within thetrue spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a body member; ahandle member attached to said body member; said body member includinga-torso portion; means mountingsaid torso portion'for rot'ation on saidbody member; means in said handle member for rotating said torso portiona wrist member on said torso portion; means mounting said wrist memberfor rotation on said torscfportion'coincident with the rotation of saidrtorso portion.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which said -wristinember"is-mounted to rotate through substantially twice the arc of saidtorso portion upon said coincident rotation.

3. A device as set fortliin claim 2 in which the arcs' oirotaiti-bn"ofsai'd torso portion andsaid wrist"port'ionarecontrollableby theoperator.

4;"A"dvice "as"setforth'= in claim 2 'in which saidineans' insaid"handle member for rotating said 'torso portion comprisesa cable providedwith a handlefor operating the cable to control the aid-meansounting-said wrist portion f'or'rotation comprises a pulley in saidtorso portion;

pdiieyq'iiremeans'in said wrist portion anda cable attached tosaiiipulley andsaid pulley-like means; I

6f A"- device" 'as set "'forth in claim" 2 'in' which said.meansmounting'sa-id' wrist portioniorrota-'- p tion-for rotationcomprisesapulley' in said torso portion-i'pulley-like' meansin saidwrist portion anda cable attached to said pulley and said pulley-dikem'ean's; 'said 'pulley' having substantially twice the'oprati'figdiametr0f 'said'pullylike 'nieansf armsex'tending from said torso portionsaidwri's't portion and slots in said arms to ac ommodate said sec'ondcama 1 v JAMES MUNRoi- REFERENCES CITED rh'e: fdllowirigfreierences"are" of 'Trec'ord 'in the file of'fthis 'patnt'z' UNIs'rA'I'Es'PATEN-Ts-

